Improvement in tamping devices for blasting purposes



J. SHOEMAKER.

Blast Tamp. No. 108,397. Patented Oct. 18, 1870.

MEW

fa'bzesses.-

aient pitre.

JOHN snonnannn, or rUrNEYv-intn, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 108,397, dated October 18, 1870.

The Schedule `referred coin these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom 'it fmay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SHOEMAKER, of Putneyville, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and iiseful'lamping Device for Blasting Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following i's a fiill,.clear, and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable those skilled in tli-e art to which my invention appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making-a part of this specification, and tothe letters and figures marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to secure a safe, sure, and economical water-proof tamping device, which can be used to advantage in blasting coal, sand, slate, or rock of any description; 'and It consists in a fuse-tube or needle-hole,A sur.- i'ounded and protected by a cylinder provided with expanding dies; also, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and operation of the parts, all being made of metal except the blasting-cartridge, which inay be either of metal, linen, or paper, as desired.

In'the drawingv Figure l is a side elevation, showing the tampiiig device complete, with a cartridge attached.

F igure 2 is 'a side elevation, showing themanner of attaching the outer cylinder to the sleeve and scroll.

, Figure 3 is a side elevation, showing the dies-expanded.

Figure 4 is a central longitudinal section, showing a portion of the fuse-tube oiiinner cylinder.

Figure 5 is a plate or washer.

Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 are detailed views of the dies.

Figure 10 shows the position ot' the dies when in place, but not expanded.

Figure 11 shows the position of the dies when expanded. Y

Figure 12 is a view of the lower side of the scroll, showing the worm or spiral groove for" expanding the dies.

Figure 13 is a top view of the sleeve and scroll.

. Figure 14 is a wrench for holding the fuse-tube or inner cylinder D stationary while the outer cylinder A is being turned.

Figure 15 is a lever, by which the inner cylinder 0r fuse-tube D is held in proper position and the outer cylinder A is turned.-

The outer cylinder Ais made of suitable dimensions to pass easily into the hole made by the drill.

At the lower end of the cylinder A is attached a sleeve, B, the bottom of which is slightly enlarged so as to form a collar, C, which I call the scroll.

The cylinder A and sleeve B are connected together, and prevented from turning independently ot' each other, by means of a spline and feather, a. b', and secured-by a screw, 1i.

' squib-powder or other suitable substance.

perspectiveview of the snpporting- Y ends of' the outer cylinder when in place, and is large enough in diameter to holdthe necessary quantity of Its lower portion is made slightly smaller than theother portion so as to forma shoulder, which, when in place, restsnpon the bottoni of the sleeve and collar, as

shown in iig. 4, the smaller portion passing through the opening shown in figs. 12 and 13.

A short distance above the shoulder and smaller portion is a vent-hole, d, for the escape of gas.

means of a priming-tent, e, the upper end of the cyliuder being closed with the exception of the vent 6.

On the extreme upper end of the cylinder D is another concave depression 0r bowl, which communicates with the priming-pan E by meansot' a channel, f, and which forms a convenient receptacle for the match when thetaniping device is used in a hoiieontal position; but when used in a vertical p osition'it becomes the priming-pari, and the priming-vent c is made therein instead of in the depression on the s ide. An angular shoulderlis formed just below the primingpan E, so thatl the cylinder D may be held stationary by means of a wrench, Gr, shown in iig. 14, the upper end of the cylinder being held in proper position with relation to'the lower end by means 0f a tool, H,shown in iig. 15, consisting of 'a ring with a handle attached.

The inner circumference ot' the ring surrounds the cylinder D, and the outer circumference fits the inside of the cylinder A, the handle resting in a notch ciit in the upper end of the cylinder A, as shownin iig. 1, and by means of which the same is turned.

The expanding-dies are made in four sections, 1 2 3 4, as shown in iigs. 6, 7, 8, and 9. On` the upper side of cach section is a stud or pin, s, for-engagement with the worm-rroove c, oir the scroll U. Ou the under side of each section is a notchor groove, it. When the sections are placed together in proper position they forni a circle, with an oriiice in thecenter, the notches or grooves n radiating from the center at right angleswith each other.

The supporting-plate cons ists of a circular plate' 0r washer, K, with an orifice in its center, and with ribs or tongues k, corresponding with the notches or grooves n in the sectional dies.

1`hc operation is as follows:

The inner cylinder D is held with the open endA uppermost. The outer cylinder A, with the sleeve `tion 2 is then placed next to section 1, ou the lefthand side; section 3 dametrically oppolste-tosection 1, and section 4 between sections Il. and 3. Theplate or washer. K is` then placed in position, so that the ribs or tonguesit iit in thc notches or grooves at. f'lhe parts are held in place by a. nut, L, screwed on the end ofthe cylinder D, and a spline and feather secures them so that theywll turn together.

The cylinder D is filled tv iththe s quib-powder, the cartridge M attached, and the device placed in the drilledholc. V

rlhe tool H is placed in the position shown in fig. 1, with the handle resting in the notch.

vvlhe tube D is held' stationary by means of the n rench G, and the cylinder A is turned toward'the right-hand side by means of the tool H, when the engagement of the studs s with the groove c expands the sectional dies, as shown in figs'. 3, 4, and 11, 'camping thc charge completely and effectually. The match is then applied to the concave depression, some priming-powder placed in the priming-pan, the match ignited, and the charge exploded.

Among the advantages attending the use of'my invention, it may be 'stated that in drilling slate and other rocks of a similar character itis sometimes.

times found' to beso Wet as to dampen the powder, or so dry as to' crumble in and obstruct the needlehole, in either case preventing the successful ignition and explosion of the charge. By the use of. my tamping device these diiculties are readily obviated.

Another advantage is that the dies can be expanded at any desired point, so that theldimensions of the space to be acted upon by the charge can be regulated at the pleasure of the operator.

This tamping device need not be confined to cases where powder is used as the explosive agent. It will be found equally advantageous Where gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine, or other explosive agents are used.

. What I "claim as new, and desireY to secure by Letters Patent, is'- 1. A tamping device provided with expansible dies, constructed and operating substantially as shown and described. v

2. A fuse-tube or needle-hole, protected by an outerv cylinder, constructed and operating substantially as shown and described.

3. The scroll C, in combination with the sectional dies, substantially as shown and described.

4. The supporting-plate or washer K, with its ribs or tongues It, in combination with the sectional dies formedwith notches or grooves n, substantially as shown and described.

- A tam'ping device, made and operating as above,

in combination with a cartridge, substantially as shown and described. V

In testimony that l claim the foregoing tamping device, I have. hereunto set my hand this 5th day of March, 1870.l JOHN SHOEMAKER.

Witnesses:

A. YosT, y p MICHAEL HOFFMAN. 

